Apparatus for dispensing packages.



R. B. DULA. APPARATUS'FOR DISPENSING PACKAGES.

APPLICATION FlLEU APR. 5. l9l5.

Patent@ Feb.13,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-RI. B. DULA. APPARATUS FOR ,DISPENSINGPACKAG APPLICATION man APR. 5, 1915.

Patented Feb. 13, 191?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

-INVENTQR I wkfjaak f V BY ATTORNEYS.

R.`B. DULA. APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING PACKAGES.

APPLICATION man APR. 5, 1915. 1,21 6,095'. Patented Feb. 13,- 1917. 4ever rsfsnszhr ATTORNEYS.

WITNSSES.-

MDX

RGBZERT 4?" DUL, OE TARRYTOWN, NEVI YORK.

\ APBARATUS ron msrniismc Pacilzaess.

Specication of Letters Patent. atntsgrl Eel). 13, 1991?.

Application filed April 5, 1915. Serial No. 18,141.

' Ziofwlwm #may concern.' 4Be it known that l, Roniiirr B. DULA,.a

ages.

.L A: principal object ot the invention is to proyide. apparatus which'ivill result in great' economy of time in effecting the payment iorlthe article and in delivering the article to: the'.` purchaser. uln order to fully appreciate therelation of this invention to the art lot sellingor varticle `which would usually sell for twenty dispensing articles to purchasers the opera-- tioniofselling according tothe department store :method should he briefly considered. u Merchants aiid the proprietors'of departinentlstorcs usually operate their establishments on lthe principle that it is desirable tirhriiig about delays inthe delivery of the desired article'ti' vthe purchaser upon the theory thatthe purchaser will occupy him selfouherselt `in looking about the counters, and will -inf this-.way be tempted to make further purchases. l 4.

`'Actingon this theory it has'been the ciistom to .fix prices in such a way' that it would przufti'callyk always he necessary to give change tothe purchaser; for instance, an

cents would hel put up in 'a sliglitlysnialler package and soldier nineteen cents. This custom incidentally.v privesthe impression .that thefslup has large patronage hecaiise .thereare agi-eat number of people who are uniting' for change in the shop. Though this custom may actually operate t'orv the benefit' of the merchants, it entails a r@great purchasers,

amount oi'4 labor' in making changeior the and in many cases entails a lgrijeat wasteV of time. "lt certainly wastes much timey of those purchasers who 'have definite ideas as to what they wish to. purchase andl who wish to leave the shop imme- 'diately' after having `made their purchase. Uns Athe cost ot' goods to a purchaser isI `really determined hy the cost ol1 selling the goods'and the actual. cost ot'"inanutactiire it isevident that though 'tnisnietnod or .selling `may operate advantageously.tothe merchants, the cost inthe end is paid by the consu-mer and necessitates a loss to the consumer noto'nly in 'his tim `Wasted but in the cost of the y'labor in makingfthe change. Oi course' the `actual .cost of mak ,ing the change may not he really high, but

it ldoes entail Ain department stores a. considerahle outlay in store service railways for deliveringthe money of the purchaser to the cashier. and for returning the exact change.y Another loss of time 'which is evident is due to the tact that the sales people who sell the `goods are constantly interrupted and have their attention distracted because they must watch the point at which' their customers change is returned to themr from the cashier.

One of the objects ot this invention is to overcome the disadvantages and Waste ot time and lahorsuggested ahove and to provide an `apparatus and method whereby a single `operatorV can control the sale et' a great n umher of 'articles and eltect -their immediate delivery to the purchaser.

According to my invention articles are preferably sold which are usually sold in standard packages fora xed price which will not require the `making of change, and an arrangement is provided which Will' result iii the purchaser beingV immediately delivered the article which he desires.

ln selling articles in large quantities in this Way, the labor in making `change is avoidecl'in the actual sale ot them-ticle, and there is practically Luo ivaste of time `of the purchaser in receiving; the article to be delivered to him. v i

While the invention is applicable in the sale of articles of all kinds, it efiicient in selling; articles which belong the saine general class, such. for instance,

as cigars and smokers articles; or toilet articles or confectionery.

particul a rly Further objects oie the invention will lappear heieina fter.

The invention consists iii-.those features and combinations ci, parts'descrihed in de' tail hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an eiiicient apparatus and method for selling or dispensing articles in pack-` ages. y

The preferred embodiment of iny inyention is particularly described in the following` specification7 while the bread scope ci.'

lio n my invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing part of the front of a store or shop adapted for carrying out my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken about on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale and illustrating details of an apparatus which may be used in practising my invention. .T his view particularly illustrates the arrangement for effecting the delivery of the coin to the operator or salesman.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on theline 3 3 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale and further illustrating an apparatus which may be employed for etiecting the delivery of the packages to the purchasers. y

Fig. 1- is a horizontal section taken about on the line #1 -1 of Fig. l on an enlarged scale and further illustrating the arrange-4 ment for guiding the coins to the operator or salesman, and also further illustrating the arrangement ot the magazines for the articles and the apparatus for controlling the delivery of the articles from the magazines. i

Fig. 5 is ya plan on a small scale diagrammatically illustrating an Iarrangement which my be adopted for arranging the magazines and the control apparatus so that they are conveniently controlled by the operator.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation showing a,d e-` tail of the front of the Shop at whichit e.' articles or names of the articles are dis-i played. Y

Fig. 7 is a vertical. section taken at the point of delivery of one of the coin chutes, and particularly illustrating the manner in which the presence of the coin is immediately indicatedto the operator.

Fig. i5 is a front elevation of one ot' the coin chutes at its delivery end and further illustrating details ot' thc apparatus and method.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation showing a modi tied embodiment of the invention partly broken away.

Fig. 10 is a plan and partial horizontal section oi the parts shown in Fig. il.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the invention it should be stated that the method could be practised to advantage with the apparatus located like a store front otra public place, such as a street or arcade, and at a point past which agreat number of people will pass.

Referring more particularly to the parts, l() represents a panel which should be of attractive appearance and behind which is provided a plurality ot compartn'lents. indicated diagrammaticall'v by thc lines ll and 12, said compartments being preferably arranged in horizontal and vertical rows or BEST AvAiLABLE COP.

tiers. The outer walls of these compartments are preferably provided with openings or windows 13 which may be provided with a transparent cover or glass pane 11, through which the articles 15 (see Fig. (3) may be seen, but under cover so that they are not accessible to a person passing the place.

The display' of an article such as the article 15, or ot' a name such as the name "dental cream, as in Fig. (i, is an olfer to to a passerby to sell the article at the price indicated, for instance, the shaving soap is illustrated as offered for sale for the price. of twenty-live cents, the price mark corresponding to the shaving soap appearing adjacent to a coin slot 1G. Leading from these coin slots are a corresponding number ol. coin chutes or guides 1T which may be bent if desired as illustrated in Fig. 2, and these coin chutes all have delivery ends or terminals 1S at which theywill deliver a coin which is inserted at the coin slot 16. These terminals 1S may be oi any simple construction, preferably having turnedup ends which form a rudimentary pocket which holds the coin. These terminals '18 are all grouped at a central point or station 20 (see Fig. 5) at which an operator is located who may be seated upon a suitable stool or seat 9.1.

In order to indicate the presence 1or arrival of a coin at the central station so that itvcan be quickly removed by the operator on' cashier at the central station I prefer-to provide some automatic .ineans such that illustrated in Figs. 2, 7. and 8.. This' preferably consists of a plate 22 which is mounted on a pivot pin 23 and has an inwardly vextending linger 24 which is engaged by the, edge ot' the coin 26 and depressed by the' coin so as to tilt the plate Q2 from the normal position of the plate; see the dotted outline The displacement of this plate is a signal to the operator so that no time is lost in ascertaining the point of arrival ot' a com.

In order to indicate to the operator the value of the coin or coins which should be inserted in the different coin chutes I prefer to provide on the plate a price mark such' as the price mark 259, indicated in Fig. 8, which corresponds to the 25 shaving soap. y

According to my invention and method I prefer that the operator or cashier would not make any change because this is one of the delays which I wish to avoid. In order to prevent mistakes it is desirable to indicate on each coin chute terminal 18 the exact amount ot coin or coins which should come to that point. The reason for this will appear more clearly from the following:

In order to store and etti-.et the immediate delivery of the articles to the purchasers I inlener yrality of ifiizign/Z'iiies 2'? (see Fig. 3) which magazines are preferably in the forni of verticiil lioppers, and these hoppers or inegaznes are preferably arranged in rows, each row being provided as shown with :i termi-- nal pocket toward which en article would v"igravitete if dropped intothe delivery chute..

ny suitable arrangement may be provided for ell'ecting the delivery of the articles 30 into the chute 28. vThe articlesmay be supported on a xed ledge or bracket B1 at one side ol the magazine, and by ineens of a movable catch or trigger 32 on the other side, said trigger being normally held in position by a. spring so that the trigger or linger projects under the lowest article iii the magazine so lo suppoift the articles iii the iiiageiiine. ly any suitable .ineens which may manually or electrically oper ated, this detent or linger iiiaiy be, actuated ali the will olI the operator to release one ot' the packages. The delcnt or linger is pi'elcriilily provided with means for prei rciitiugif llic feeding out of more than one olf the packages. A For this purpose the deteiit" may lie provided with a second upwardly .projectingi erin Sli, the end of' Which may more inwardly through an opening 35 inthe all of the magazine so as to engage the und ol 4the article next above the lowest endr to hold the 'seine in place until the lowest article drops out. vils soon as this occui's.

linger to its normal position, whereupon al] oi the articles will descend end. he ported in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. iii order to operate the detest l preler'to provide plurality of pull cords lzivhicli are guided around suitable guide pulleys 37, the ends of the cords heine; brought to the central station 2G and arranged so :is to be conveniently within reach ot the operator. For this purpose l prefer to. place iii, the central station e. substzii'itioily horizontal shelf or table 38 which may lie provided with a plurality` of lniohs 39, to which the ends o'l tlie cords attach. preferably .rirranged in rows ciiiifi'csponding to the number of articles displayed in a vertical row at the panel 10. 1When e. coin is received by the operator, the operator then pulls the proper liiiob 39 and releases the article desired, which then descends from ,its iliade/Line into the chute and gravitatcs to the delivery point lil order to indicate the rele-tion hctiveeii a designating nuii'ibci', such :is the number 'lf, and place corresponding nuiiilie ou the liable at the coi-respondinge; knobs in the i'i'ieiiiier indicated in liig. 4l.

'knobs are i However, l

BESTAVAH-ABLE Cpi .have only illustrated one number, as this is suihcient to illustrate the invention, and the use of further numbers might possibly. confuse the disclosure 4oli the invention.

W hen the apparatus 4is set up on a street or iiil an arcade, access may he had to the central Station if desired through aldoor 40 which would be located at one side of the pan-el (seellig. 5) and this door would open into a passage which would lead back behind the magazines to the central station.

With an apparatus such as, I have de-' scribed it will licei/'ident that sales and'deliveries of the desired goods can be very quickly effected and without resulting in any unnecessary delays. Where it is not feasible or desirable to display the article to lie sold, the naine only ol the article may lic displayed in the manner indicated iii Fig. (5,'

and only standartL and. well lcnowi'i articles would be sold .so that purchasers would. know beforehand thequulity of the. goods andthe of the package which would be received lor the price indicated at the coin- Slot.

rival of :i coin or coins in any one of the coin chutes the operator immediately observes whether the amount oi? the coin in the coin chute is the saine as that iiidicatedby the price niark on the corresponding plate 22,

lwhich price niark is of course the saine as the price niark indicated to the purchaser at the coin slot o'i the corresponding chute. lf the amount ,inserted is correct the cashier immediately removes the coin and pulls the knob 255)., which numbered to correspond with the number 365, for instance, on the plate 92. This will immediately deliver the desired articleat the pocket 29 ot the delivery chute which corresponds to that vertical tier or row opposite to which the pui'- chasei' standing.

Although l have illustrated :t comparirtively small iiiiinlici' of knobs tor controlling,r the delivery ol the articles, it is understood that this is inei'elyliy way of illustration, and that an operator could control a. coiieiil-y operator could conti-ol the sale aii li1nnie' diate delivery of thousands ol articles.

rlie apparaais` .is recommended particulai-li7 for selling' articles of vthe same gener-fil -class, for ,instance-` 'toilet articles, coiifecii/'hen used.

liioiierv. oi' tol'iucco :ind cigars. 'for some iii lee; such as cigztijswliicli may liecooie dry, e 4zippesretos may lie provided u'ith a huiiit los iso-

dors may hc constructed for use with certain magazines. This arrangement of course could be adopted where cigars were sold as a side line from some general class of goods.`

My apparatus operates most eliiciently where the packages sold have an individual value which is a multiple of live cents, and preferably equal to the denominational value of the. ditl'erent coins, for instance, 5c articles. 10c articles, 2.5 articles and 50c articles. Ilowever l do not liinit myself to an apparatus for selling .articles onlyat these prices. Obviously if desired I may dispense with the use of the coin chutes for carrying the coins to the operator, and may adopt an arrangement such as `shown in Figs. il and 10. in whichl place the opera-- tor in position ata window 4l with a wicket l2 and a shelf 43 or other mains Afor supporting the coins handed directly to him by the purchaser. lipon receiving the propei' coin the operator will pull the corresponding knob 3l) which delivers the de-' sired article to the purchaser. ln' this conl struction. however, as before thei'e must be an indicated relation between the pull-knobs ann the magazines so that the operator will knou' that he is pulling the knob cori'espending to a certain magazine.

l do not limit myself to the use ot' all of lthe features or con'ibinations of parts tol rctlier, but l may employ an apparatus cinbodying one or more ot' the features of the invention. It is understood also that the embodiment of the invention set forth herein is only one of the many embodiments or forms the invention may take. and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention nor in my claims to the particular embodiment set. forth.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for dispensing articles iiL packages to purchasers, in combination, means, including a panel for displayingv under cover specimens ot' the articles to be sold,

l coin slots in the panel near the point ot display of the different articles with corresponding price marks near the slots, a plurality of magazines for the different packages, located at the rear ot' the panel, means for guiding the coin from the coin slots to a central. station and to a delivery point within view of an operato' at the central station, means for indicatingto the operator adjacent the point of delivery of the coin the. same price. which is indicated at the corresponding coin slot, means 'for indicating to the operator which magazines correspond tol the different coin slots, and means 'for `controlling Jfrom the central station the delivery means, including a panel for displaying under cover specimens ot the articles to bc sold, coin slots at the panel near the point of' display ot the ditl'erent articles with corresponding price marks near the slots indicating prices which are r tiples of five cents, a plurzlity of magazines for the. different packages, coin chutes 'or guiding the coins from the coin slots lo a delivery point at the rear of the panel within view of an operatoi' at a central station, means adjacent thc point of delivery of the coin for indicating to the operator the saine price which isindicatcd to the purchaser at the corresponding coin slot, means for indicating to the.

operator which magazines correspond to thev 'coins from the coin slots to a delivery point within view ot' an operator at a central station at the. rear of the panel, i'neaiis adjacent to the delivery point oi the coin ior indicating to the operator the same. price which is indicated to the purchaser at the corresponding coin slot, means 'for indicating to the operator which magazines correspond to the different coin slots, and means for controlling from the central station the delivery of the packagesfrom the magazines at the rear of the panel to a point accessible from the front of such panel.

g l. The method of selling articles in packages,`\\'hich consists in making a display in view of a prospective purchaser to indicate lthat. thc articles are oii'ered for sale. providing coin slots near the points ol displajvy of the ditl'erent articles with their corresponding price marks near the slots. prmjiding a plurality ot magazines 'for the different packages, guiding the coins from the coin slots to a delivery point within view of an operator :xt a central station. indicating at a point near a deliv ry point to the operator the sa me price which is indicated to the purchaser at the corresponding coin slot, also indicating to the operator which magazines correspond to the different coin slots. and manually controlling r 'from the central station the delivery of the. packages from the magazines.

ln an apparatus 'for dispensing articles are olcred for sale for indicated prices cor- BEST AVAILABLE COP responding to the articles, a plurality of magazines for the different packages at one side 0f the panel, means for supporting a coin near the operators position, and means operable from the operators position for vdelivering to the purchaser au article from any of said magazines to the opposite side of the panel.

6. In an apparatus for dispensing` articles in packages to purchasers, in combination, means for indicating that plurality of different articles are oiered. tor sale for indicated prices corresponding to the articles. a plurality of magazines for-thc dilicrent packages, means for supporting a coinnear the operators position, a plurality of members operable from the operators position for controlling'the magazines to deliver different-packages, and means for indicating to the operator Which of said members correspond to which magazines.

7. In an apparatus for dispensing articles in packages to purchasers, in combination,

means for indicating' that a ferent articles are offered :f cated prices corresponding to plurality of magazines for L. l1@ packages, means for supporting L the operators position, a plurali'l "j" y bers operable from the operator "S 1 for controlling the magazines to d'lii ferent packages, means for indicating operator which of said members corre: to which maga-zines, and a delivery i down which the articles pass in being livered, said magazines being arranger that a plurality of the magazines deli Vinto said chute..

In testimony whereof I have hereunto se my hand in presence of two subscribin witnesses.

ROBERT B. DULA.

fue 

